President of the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC) Samson Deen has made an impassioned name for nationwide unity and a renewed dedication to constructive sports activities branding, urging Ghanaians to collectively promote sport as a nationwide asset that may entice funding, create alternatives and improve the nation’s international picture.
Talking on the official launch of the Countdown to the 2026 Commonwealth Video games in Accra, Dean burdened that the long run development of Ghanaian sport relies upon not solely on athletes and directors, but in addition on the media, company our bodies, authorities companies and the general public working collectively to inform a constructive story.
He mentioned persistent negativity, public controversy and extreme criticism inside the sports activities ecosystem proceed to hamper efforts to draw non-public sector funding and company sponsorship.
“Sports activities is one among Ghana’s biggest nationwide merchandise. If we proceed to talk negatively about ourselves and our establishments, it will likely be tough for traders and Ghanaian companies to understand the alternatives that exist in our sports activities sector,” Dean mentioned.
The AfPC Chairman burdened that as company sponsorship is pushed by belief, recognition and worth creation, sports activities stakeholders must consciously bundle and market Ghanaian sport in a means that demonstrates professionalism, development potential and influence on the nation.
“For Ghanaian companies to help us, we have to model the game in a means that everybody understands that the time is now. We should co-create an atmosphere that facilitates funding, not hinders it,” he added.
Dean expressed concern that sports activities leaders usually spend an excessive amount of time defending their organizations and looking for help, slightly than specializing in athlete improvement, infrastructure, expertise discovery and worldwide competitiveness.
He additional identified that sport shouldn’t be seen because the accountability of a single group, such because the Ghana Olympic Committee, the Ghana Paralympic Committee, the African Paralympic Committee, the Nationwide Sports activities Authority or the Ministry of Sports activities.
As a substitute, he defined that sport is a shared nationwide enterprise that belongs to all Ghanaians.
“Sports activities doesn’t belong to any specific group. Sports activities belongs to Ghana. Sports activities belongs to all of us. Due to this fact, all of us have a accountability to guard and promote sports activities and contribute to its development,” he mentioned.
Because the countdown to the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Video games formally begins, Mr Dean known as for elevated cooperation between sporting federations, enterprise organizations, authorities companies, improvement companions and media stakeholders to place Ghana as a number one sporting nation on the continent.
